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The MLD gaiters are very nice. I don't think they would stand up to a serious thrashing, like off-trail in rough country, but for hiking long trails in winter they are perfect. While you're ordering stuff from them, get the eVent overmitts, too.

The Integral Designs eVENT shortie gaiters are pretty light weight. I have some in bright yellow...I have only used them a few times though. I don't find myself actually wearing them as much as I thought I would before I got them, but when I do wear them the seem to work just fine.

...take nothing but memories and pictures, leave nothing but footprints, and kill only time... (Bette Filley in Discovering the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail)

I have the MLD e-vent gaiters. Very light and super breathable. They've seen about 120 miles so far and have been through some bush wacking due to downed trees on the trail from Hurricane Irene in 2011. They have held up beyond expectation so far.

Ok so this is made with kite quality tyvek not industrial; the difference is weight. So industrial will add maybe an ounce max. Total weight of this pair is 1.6 oz. Elastic cord with cord lock on top for shin and bottom for under boot. Total cost was around 2-3 dollars to make the pair. I had alot of left over tyvek from other projects and the elastic cords and cord locks were taken out of my old backpacks so I actually paid no direct costs to make them. You can buy everything on amazon.com, an outfitter, or fabric store. I would only try it if you have a sewing machine or access to one.

So yeah they are waterproof and breathable. I dont notice a tempature difference with them on but that is a common complaint against gaiters. Keeps my pants mudless so my sleeping bag is cleaner. Fits tight and doesnt slide. Also the color was added with acrylic ink, in tour de france leading gold.

By design I hope you dont mean a pattern or anything. The only design I used was in my head, but its pretty easy to conceptualize your own and lots of pics online for ideas. Takes about 20 minutes to sew the pair; so easy to make/ replace. I find them very durable even on bushwacks they have held up. Also super easy to clean.

If most folks are anything like me they'll get sweaty feet once the temps hit the mid 70s. Even without gaiters my feet get sweaty just above that temperature. Uncoated nylon with a DWR spray is about as breathable as you can get and still have any water repellency, and the fabric must be so tightly woven to achieve this that it shuts out just about all air.

Gaiters are for cold weather, especially with snow.

Some folks say that gaiters keep trail debris out of their low tops. I can buy that, but they still severly limit the ability of your feet to breathe.

I've had coated, uncoated, OR lows, and EMS low Shoeller gaiters. I can't even find them anymore.

The last time I used gaiters I used my OR Crocs. They are worth their weight in snow (still don't breathe well except in cold, dry conditions).

One more thing (edit) - Unless your shoes are waterproof gaiters will only be a very temporary solution to keeping your feet dry, and only the top of your socks at that.

Uncoated gaiters for ticks would be good for shorts wearers, and the best material would probably be similar to support hose material, treated with permethrin, which kills ticks after they crawl 8" on it (or so I've read).

Last edited by Tinker; 02-16-2012 at 23:53.

As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11
Did Adam and Eve rest on the first Sabbath? Scripture only says that God did. Are we thinking yet?

Hi all,
I could really go with something shorter than those since I'll be in trail runners and wouldn't mind something that reaches a little bit further over the front of the shoe.

In my limited time google'ing I haven't found any gaiters that are both waterproof and in the same weight range.

I'll be though hiking in April with Montrail AT Plus if that makes a difference.

A quick glance at those and I didn't see any mention of gortex. If your feet are wet I'd like to propose the idea that it doesn't really matter if your ankles stay dry. I hiked the AT in http://www.integraldesigns.com/produ...ail.cfm?id=765 mostly to keep junk from making it's way into my shoes but I figured hey they are waterproof too that can't hurt. Big mistake, dry ankles didn't help me any but the waterproofing means that they didn't breath as well and there were plenty of nice summer days where I wished that I'd picked something more breathable.

A quick glance at those and I didn't see any mention of gortex. If your feet are wet I'd like to propose the idea that it doesn't really matter if your ankles stay dry. I hiked the AT in http://www.integraldesigns.com/produ...ail.cfm?id=765 mostly to keep junk from making it's way into my shoes but I figured hey they are waterproof too that can't hurt. Big mistake, dry ankles didn't help me any but the waterproofing means that they didn't breath as well and there were plenty of nice summer days where I wished that I'd picked something more breathable.

Bingo! Leave the waterproof/breathable footwear for weekenders who can pick and choose the conditions they walk in.

In an all day rain it's unlikely that your feet will remain dry. Since a shoe or boot doesn't take or hold a DWR treatment well (except for heavy treatments- wax or oil/grease), the rain will eventually sheet on the outside of your footwear. The result is the same as with a wp/b garment - the water in liquid form as a sheet on the outside of the garment (or boot) will prevent the moisture in vapor form from moving through the membrane - result - damp/wet feet - not from the rain, but from your sweat.

Go with a quick drying, breathable shoe or boot and don't even entertain the thought that gaiters will help to keep your feet dry. Rain runs down bare legs and under any gaiter (unless you have a dry suit gasket at the top - something I've never seen in gaiters) and soaks into your socks, so you must wear long, waterproof pants over the gaiters to achieve a shingle effect to keep the rain from your socks.

As I live, declares the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn back from his way and live. Ezekiel 33:11
Did Adam and Eve rest on the first Sabbath? Scripture only says that God did. Are we thinking yet?